Aw that bums me out to hear you guys talk like this. I am a JK owner. I own a 2008. It's my first jeep. It's my baby, and I've done stuff to it. I like keeping it looking good, but I also plan on trashing it. It just doesn't have to stay that way. I take everything off of it whenever i can. i was driving around in 50 degree weather with my top and doors off. its my favorite thing in the world. the only reason i bought a JK is because I needed one with lower miles. i agree with what you say about them getting too luxurious. mine isnt luxurious, but i look in other Wranglers and they really are. i just dont want one of those. I hold disdain for 4 doors though. That's not a Wrangler...that's a 4-door SUV. It's the soccer mom set. If you want a jeep but have kids, then wait until they're older and can handle a 2 door. If I ever have a kid, I'm not trading in my 2-door for a 4-door. No thanks. And I have a hard time getting people to wave....they're like clueless or something. So guys....don't hate. I'm just a girl who loves her Wrangler baby.....and it happens to be a JK. :-(

Bought my jeep 8 hours from home. Picked it up, no mention of the wave, though I had previously heard of this. On the drive home I had a fellow wrangler wave. I waved back and suddenly felt like I was in a secret club. Now I feel smug, like non-wrangler drivers have no idea of this secret society I now belong to.

Does anyone notice though, that wranglers have become popular with non-traditional wrangler buyers, like soccer moms and grandparents? AND THEY DO NOT WAVE!!! not that I am expecting them to.

I finally got a couple of waves back this week. Today, I was sitting at an intersection and a guy drove across and flashed the hang loose to me and I waved back. My wife was on the phone and just looked at me like I was in some kind of cult or secret society.

What does a traditional wrangler owner look like? I totally agree there is traditional and nontrad. I am a 40 y/o female, not a soccer mom (no kids and don't want them), patient's of mine think I am in my 20s. I wonder what I look like to other traditional wrangler owners?

What does a traditional wrangler owner look like? I totally agree there is traditional and nontrad. I am a 40 y/o female, not a soccer mom (no kids and don't want them), patient's of mine think I am in my 20s. I wonder what I look like to other traditional wrangler owners?

There is no such 'look' of a wrangler owner, excepting perhaps they may wear a tad more Karhart than the average car drivers.

I'm 50 in a week. But I've been a CJ owner, a YJ owner and a TJ owner for nearly 30 years.

Regarding the "wave", you will find that the 'wave' is most prevelant when you have a rig coming at you that is similar to yours. TJs will wave more at TJs. Lifted YJs with big tires and winches will tend to wave at ALL other Jeeps with big tires and winches, regardless of YJ, CJ, JK, etc., heck, I'm an 'off-road' looking YJ, and I'll wave at Broncos, Sami, Toyotas if they are 'off-road' looking, and they almost all will wave back! It's not so much an acknowledgement that you own a Jeep, but an acknowledgement that we have a comraderie. A kindred enjoyement of 'off-roading'. And the same goes true if you comraderie is enjoyment of being topless, or whatever.

I know this doesnt apply to all women but every girl i wave to never waves back!! Why? Do guys not tell the girls? Do girls just not care or do they just get a jeep for the looks? Common people, everytime i give a jeep wave i feel like im in an exclusive club.

You'll find out not everyone waves and it's more about their personality than anything. I've been driving Jeeps for 30 years and over the years I've been surprised at who waves and who doesn't all the time. It seems like the newer Jeep owners wave maybe 30% of the time and it goes up based on how old the jeep is. Granted I don't wave at every single Jeep I see because some days I'm just too busy talking on my cell, texting, eating, drinking, reading and taking notes for a meeting and barely have a free hand to shift let alone use a turn signal......
I wave at other built rigs and I'd say I get waves back about 75% of the time which isn't too bad. The other 25% usually have a blank stare and they are trying to figure out if they know me.

I hold disdain for 4 doors though. That's not a Wrangler...that's a 4-door SUV. It's the soccer mom set. If you want a jeep but have kids, then wait until they're older and can handle a 2 door. If I ever have a kid, I'm not trading in my 2-door for a 4-door. No thanks.

It's all in how you use it. I think most peoples "disdain" for a 4-door is more often due to it's lesser abilities off-road due to the longer wheel base. Granted alot more JK owners are out there running around in them like they are "common SUVs", but I know a few guys on here who have them. They use them as a DD, and also run them off-road. They have them lifted (or will), with off-road tires, winches, etc., and more importantly, they take the top off every chance they get (that is the most critical element of being "in the club" IMO). It has alot less to do with what type of Jeep you drive, and alot more with how you approach it.

As for the kids, mine are 8 and 4. They love to take the Jeep, and they know that means that the 8 year old is responsible for buckling up his little brother, or we'll just borrow mom's minivan...they'll handle the buckling issue anyday over that. Future little Jeepers for sure

I know this doesnt apply to all women but every girl i wave to never waves back!! Why? Do guys not tell the girls? Do girls just not care or do they just get a jeep for the looks? Common people, everytime i give a jeep wave i feel like im in an exclusive club.

Its just like when someone goes through the one way high dune area the wrong way.

There is no such 'look' of a wrangler owner, excepting perhaps they may wear a tad more Karhart than the average car drivers.

I'm 50 in a week. But I've been a CJ owner, a YJ owner and a TJ owner for nearly 30 years.

Regarding the "wave", you will find that the 'wave' is most prevelant when you have a rig coming at you that is similar to yours. TJs will wave more at TJs. Lifted YJs with big tires and winches will tend to wave at ALL other Jeeps with big tires and winches, regardless of YJ, CJ, JK, etc., heck, I'm an 'off-road' looking YJ, and I'll wave at Broncos, Sami, Toyotas if they are 'off-road' looking, and they almost all will wave back! It's not so much an acknowledgement that you own a Jeep, but an acknowledgement that we have a comraderie. A kindred enjoyement of 'off-roading'. And the same goes true if you comraderie is enjoyment of being topless, or whatever.

At a four way this morning there was a Jk who was completely topless and doorless and I had my windows off just because I was in a hurry this morning. I leaned over and waved a full arm wave and she hung out her door spot and waved back. I have her a rock out over my top when I was passing her. I love the way into jeep- owners around here. There's only a few if us but its great!

I know this doesnt apply to all women but every girl i wave to never waves back!! Why? Do guys not tell the girls? Do girls just not care or do they just get a jeep for the looks? Common people, everytime i give a jeep wave i feel like im in an exclusive club.

I know this doesnt apply to all women but every girl i wave to never waves back!! Why? Do guys not tell the girls? Do girls just not care or do they just get a jeep for the looks? Common people, everytime i give a jeep wave i feel like im in an exclusive club.

Honestly, I wave at every Wrangler. I get upset when my wife is driving and forgets to wave. I know she is thinking about waving, but she gets distracted and then she lets em pass right by. I get waves back from 25% of women I wave at (this is an estimation of course). When they don't wave, it is almost always because they are talking to a passenger, yaking on the phone, or looking at not sure what. One day I was coming home from work and a JKU full of younger girls was at the stoplight across from me. I thought to myself, no way they'll wave. Sure enough the entire Jeep, all 5 girls, waved like freaks!!! Love it. That'll teach me to judge! So I'm just gonna keep on waving. Better to be part of the solution than part of the problem.

I think if you have a Jeep you should join an offroad club, either one that is just Jeeps or one that is for any 4x4 if there isn't one of the exclusives around. That way you can gain some experience from others and whenever you meet another Jeeper at a gas stop or where ever invite them to join up and then they can learn first hand what it is all about.

I know this doesnt apply to all women but every girl i wave to never waves back!! Why? Do guys not tell the girls? Do girls just not care or do they just get a jeep for the looks? Common people, everytime i give a jeep wave i feel like im in an exclusive club.

I told my fiance as soon as I started talking about buying my JKU. Now she is constantly pointing out other Jeeps to me and reminding me to wave. If I forget she frantically waves for me to make up for it. She gets really into it which is pretty funny to see so if you're ever in Orlando watch out for the Crush JKU with the girl flailing her arm through the roof, that will be me.

On a side note, I've noticed at least in Orlando that nobody really waves back. I would say it's onky about 5% if the time. I started to think it was a thing if the past and then I came across this thread. I see some of you guys saying that a CJ is more likely to wave back at a CJ but only if they both have lifts with big tires.... We're all part if the same community. Be friendly, wave back!

Aw that bums me out to hear you guys talk like this. I am a JK owner. I own a 2008. It's my first jeep. It's my baby, and I've done stuff to it. I like keeping it looking good, but I also plan on trashing it. It just doesn't have to stay that way. I take everything off of it whenever i can. i was driving around in 50 degree weather with my top and doors off. its my favorite thing in the world. the only reason i bought a JK is because I needed one with lower miles. i agree with what you say about them getting too luxurious. mine isnt luxurious, but i look in other Wranglers and they really are. i just dont want one of those. I hold disdain for 4 doors though. That's not a Wrangler...that's a 4-door SUV. It's the soccer mom set. If you want a jeep but have kids, then wait until they're older and can handle a 2 door. If I ever have a kid, I'm not trading in my 2-door for a 4-door. No thanks. And I have a hard time getting people to wave....they're like clueless or something. So guys....don't hate. I'm just a girl who loves her Wrangler baby.....and it happens to be a JK. :-(

Hey now...I'm a mom, a JK owner, a 4door toter, a midnight mudder....wait I think I just ripped a song. Anyway ...Unlimited's are getting a bad rap. My 09 JK Unlimited X is muddin with all kinds. Heck, just this wknd she showed herself more than capable of taking where others were stuck, she took it like a boss. And winched em out to boot. I'm a fan of JEEP. From Willys to brand spakin new off the line. My motto is don't knock the JEEP, blame the owner. I didn't get mine with bells and whistles, heck I'm crankin my windows, lol. I got mine to build. I have kids and I didn't drop dead or start knitting (not knocking knitting, just not my thang), and I'm trainin em up right. Bc of my JEEP, my boy wants a Willy. They get their wave on like pros. U don't wave back, ur gettin a dbl wave. I love my JEEP, she is freakin awsome, all 4 doors. I understand the intial idea that leads to the suv soccer mom mentality behind the wheel...but its not right to blanket any JEEP bc someone else didn't wave or go mudding. Maybe they need to be educated, just wave like crazy....they will eventually google it. And those that say they won't take theirs mudding...their loss...invite them out, I just did that and now I've racked up a bunch of folks wanting in on this amazing adventure JEEPS have to offer. My girl, Lego (her name), is an amazing machine. I wave, I do mods, I go mudding and trail rides. She's tough and I like her that way. Hopefully, we can get to appreciating each others JEEPS and stop attacking them and get deep in the mud, lost on a trail and winch each other out regardless of wheel base, number of doors, year manufactured and affordability of mods. JEEP LOVE! JEEP HEART! Lets get together and mud all night...there I go rippin songs again. Maybe I need to hit another trail.

Regarding the wave, maybe it has something to do with the more jeeps you see, the less special it becomes to be a member and perhaps there is some disdain for that, especially with more and more of them being mall crawlers. So maybe the waves are saved for the ones that look like they are more likely to have 'paid their dues' off road? If all you have to do now is drive a stock jeep and you're in the club maybe it doesn't sit that well with some who are on their second set of axles. I guess I am one of those "posers" mentioned earlier although I am not trying to be one. I test drove a jeep, it was awesome. I bought it. But I don't know if I can bring myself to smash it up offroad (yet). It's my only transportation. If I wreck it I will be making monthly payments on a piece of steel :P

No offense meant to anyone, I was not trying to speak for seasoned veterans. It was just a thought that was bouncing around in my head while I was bouncing around in my jeep.

especially with more and more of them being mall crawlers. So maybe the waves are saved for the ones that look like they are more likely to have 'paid their dues' off road? If all you have to do now is drive a stock jeep and you're in the club maybe it doesn't sit that well with some who are on their second set of axles.

I can't when people assume that just because I have a stock JKU that it's a mall crawler (not saying you think that, just got me thinking.) I would have loved to buy an old model but banks will only approve loans for new ones and I don't have $10k in cash to go drop. It's stock because of money as well. I can't afford to go out and buy everything I want for it (I wish I had won that $590 million powerball so I could have!). Also, I can't afford to have two vehicles so my Jeep has to be my DD and my toy so with all the miles I have to put on it whild on the road, 37" tires and a 6" lift are out of the question. Am I going to modify it when money is available? HECK YES. I'm looking for a second job just so I can get money to do so. The reason I bought a Jeep in the first place is because even stock they are one of the most off-road capable yet still street legal vehicles on the market today. The day after I drove it off the lot, my doors and roof were off and I was out on the trails.

I guess the whole purpose of this post is just to remind those of you out there talking down about JKs, don't be so quick to judge a stock JK and assume it's a "Mall Crawler".

enjoy the wave. lots of fun. also have folks come up to at the pumps if they have a jeep, too. more non-jeep driving folks come up and chat if the CJ is out and about vs. the JK. folks like old stuff. reminds them of a long-forgotten memory.